1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to optical fiber interconnect technology.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modern microelectronic and photonic equipment utilizes optical fibers to connect devices. Such equipment includes amplifiers, repeaters, attenuators, laser sources, and a wide variety of other types of photonis and optoelectronic devices, usually assembled in subassemblies or assemblies. Optical fiber interconnects between two devices in a piece of equipment, or assembly or subassembly, are often subject to ends misalignment. The misalignment can be lateral or angular, or both. The misalignments are typically due to the inherent inaccuracies of manufacturing technology in producing a straight interconnect, but can be caused also by a manufacturing error, or can be an essential feature of a product design. Misalignments such as these cause reduced optical performance, reduced mechanical performance due to static fatigue, or both.
The mechanical behavior of optical fiber interconnects experiencing end misalignments is the subject of extensive research, as embodied by a number of publications. Examples are: Suhir, E., "The Future of Microelectronics and Photonics, and the Role of Mechanics and Materials", ASME Journal of Electronic Packaging, Mar. 1998; Suhir, E., "Structural Analysis in Fiber Optics", in Menon, ed., "Trends in Lightwave Technology", Council of Scientific Information, India, 1995; Suhir, E., "Structural Analysis in Microelectronic and Fiber Optic Systems", Van-Nostrand Reinhold, N. Y., 1991; Suhir, E., "Predicted Curvature and Stresses in an Optical Fiber Interconnect Subjected to Bending", IEEE/OSA Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol.14, No.2, 1996; Suhir E., "Input/Output Fiber Configuration in a Laser Package Design", ASME Journal of Electronic Packaging, vol.117, No.4, 1995; Suhir, E., "Bending Performance of Clamped Optical Fibers: Stresses due to the Ends Off-Set", Applied Optics, Vol.28, No.3, 1989; Suhir, E., "Optical Fiber Interconnect Subjected to a Not-Very-Small Ends Off-Set", MRS Symposia Proceedings, vol. 531, 1998; Suhir, E., "Predicted Bending Stresses in an Optical Fiber Interconnect Experiencing Significant Ends Off-Set", MRS Symposia Proceedings, vol. 531, 1998; Suhir, E., Kurkjian, C. R., and M. Fukuda, "Reliability of Photonics Materials and Structures", MRS Symposia Proceedings, vol. 531, 1998; Suhir, E., "Stresses in Dual-Coated Optical Fibers", ASME Journal of Applied Mechanics, Vol.55, No. 10, 1988; and Suhir, E., "Bending of a Partially Coated Optical Fiber Subjected to the Ends Off-Set", IEEE/OSA Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. 12, No.2, 1997.
Although stress and reduced optical performance of optical fiber interconnects between supports on two devices has been recognized in the art, to date no one has proposed a solution to this problem.